1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of computer networks, data accessing and processing systems. More specifically the present invention relates to a system of computers linked into a neural simulation network, or hive, with neural elements at remote sites which mimics and is placed in parallel operation, switch by switch, with an existing call routing telecommunications network to simulate the operation of the telecommunications network. The simulation network plots a call routing vector by forwardly chaining vector links through the simulation network and relaying as a response, or echo, the vector information so that the call is placed through the telecommunications network with maximum efficiency of bandwidth usage and computer capacity. Assume, for example, that the average call has seven call detail records (CDR""s). The present system correlates the billing entity locally, so that the system finds and sends only the one real CDR that the system has determined to have all the valid call components. The remaining six CDR""s are thereby eliminated locally and are not transmitted to a central computer since they are redundant, and six sevenths, or 86 percent of bandwidth is saved. Thus the routing vector determines which telecommunications provider will own the call and thus determines the billing rate for the call, the rate information being incorporated into the call routing vector data. The billing rate is estimated from the moment the call is initiated, and the accuracy of the estimate increases as the call progresses so that billing takes place in real time. This billing method is known as a xe2x80x9cfuzzy systemxe2x80x9d because it takes partial data samples and continuously projects an estimated total in real time. The more data exchanged through system messages, that is through chaining, the more accurate the extrapolation becomes, until it reaches one hundred percent accuracy. The interactive simulation creates a data warehouse virtual environment.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There have long been individual computers loaded with programs for routing telephone calls and generating billing for telephone and electrical utilities, which rely upon the processing power and data within the single computer. A problem with these single computer applications has been that more processing power and data access capability are needed, as well as reduced bandwidth usage, together with web and virtual world access. Another related problem is that billing is not done in real time, which particularly complicates debiting of calling cards. Solutions to these problems are presented in the published doctoral dissertation of the present inventor, entitled Designing Hot Billing Systems for Large Volume and/or Complex Networks, submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Management for the present inventor at California Coast University in November of 1999, the contents of which are incorporated by reference. Also incorporated by reference are the contents of a provisional patent application filed by the present inventor on Feb. 24, 2000, Ser. No. 60/184,537, entitled Intelligent Component Billing System.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a computer network system which parallels and simulates an existing telecommunications network, but is not part of the telecommunications network, so that the system does not tax the capacity of the existing network.
It is another object of the present invention to provide such a computer network system which plots and updates a call routing vector for each call through forward chaining of vector links and relays the vector information to the telecommunications network through rearward chaining for placement of the call. The system would determine routing vectors for all calls, whether individually or for clusters of calls, from point A to point B and monitor and change the vector as necessary to avoid a network trouble area or to maximize available bandwidth usage. Thus, network traffic is analyzed, and an assigned vector is launched, which contains the latest network routing traffic patterns that the hive has chosen.
It is another object of the present invention to provide such a computer network system which plots a call routing vector providing the lowest billing rate available for that call at that moment and containing pricing data so that billing begins at the moment a call is initiated and continues in real time as the call progresses.
It is another object of the present invention to provide such a simulation network which minimizes bandwidth usage by performing call routing calculations at individual junction points within the telecommunications network and sending only summarized information packets over network links.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide such a network system which maximizes telecommunications network processing power by shunting calls from computers momentarily operating at or near capacity and thus having smaller buffers to less taxed computers having larger buffers.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide such a network system which operates in conjunction with old telecommunications technology, so that existing equipment is not wasted and the cost of updating is minimized.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide such a network system which troubleshoots a telecommunications network to minimize telecommunications network downtime because a repair crew is warned virtually immediately of the nature and location of the problem and the system is maintained with a proactive preventative maintenance.
It is finally an object of the present invention to provide such a network system which is relatively redundant and inexpensive to assemble and operate.
The present invention accomplishes the above-stated objectives, as well as others, as may be determined by a fair reading and interpretation of the entire specification.
A telecommunications call routing and billing computer system is provided, including a telecommunications network including a junction point, including a call routing switching device, and including two call routing links meeting at the junction point in communication with each other through the call routing switching device, and a call routing simulation network including a junction point simulation computer located at the junction point and in communication with the call routing switching device and the two call routing links.
The call routing switching device is typically a telecommunications network computer. The telecommunications network typically includes a large number of the junction points, each including call routing switching device, and each call routing switching device is connected to two call routing links which connect to other junction points; and the call routing simulation network typically includes a large number of the junction point simulation computers, each located at one of the junction points and in communication with the switching device at the given junction point and with the call routing links at the given junction point.
A call routing and billing computer system is further provided for use in combination with a telecommunications network having a number of call junction points including call routing switching devices interconnected by call routing links, the telecommunication call routing and billing computer system including a simulation network including a number of junction point simulation computers networked to each other to function as a unit and to define a data warehouse virtual environment, each junction point simulation computer having its own location identification indicia, one of the junction point simulation computers being located at each of several of the call junction points to make switching decisions at each call junction point; the simulation network having computer programming to simulate the operation of the telecommunications network for each call placed through the telecommunications network by forward chaining of the call through the simulation network from the point of call origin to the point of call destination to determine all of the links making up a routing vector for the call and to determine misuse of the existing resources, and by rearward chaining of routing vector information through the simulation network to the point of call origin.
The simulation network preferably includes at least one parent simulation computer synchronizing and delegating tasks among a number of the junction point simulation computers. The simulation network preferably includes a hierarchy of parent simulation computers, each parent simulation computer synchronizing and delegating tasks among simulation computers lower in the hierarchy. Each call junction point typically includes a telecommunications network call routing switch. Each call junction point preferably includes a simulation network call routing switch. The hierarchy of simulation computers preferably additionally includes at least one dedicated computer for performing a specific task, and at least one processing computer for providing processing power to the unit. The simulation network may deliver summaries of test routing information in the form of reports to a user computer terminal.
The forward and rearward chaining preferably determines and relays estimated billing information to the telecommunications network as a call is placed in substantially real time. The junction point simulation computer location identification indicia each preferably include an identification number. The unit preferably is linked to a human user computer terminal. The system optionally additionally includes a strategy execution program which stores parameters input by a human user for generation of certain commands in the event that data received from the virtual environment produces indicia meeting one of the parameters. The unit preferably additionally computes a bill for each call and generates a billing statement for delivery to the user. The links preferably include direct hyperlinks.
A method is provided of placing a call through such a telecommunications network, including the steps of: placing one junction point simulation computer at each telecommunications network call junction point; for each call placed with the telecommunications network, plotting a call routing vector through the simulation network with forward chaining through the junction point simulation computers; and sending routing vector information back through the simulation network with rearward chaining to direct the call along a parallel routing vector through the telecommunications network.
The method preferably includes the additional steps of: monitoring buffer levels of telecommunications network junction point computers with the simulation computer at each junction point; and using the buffer level information to shunt calls from telecommunications network junction point computers having smaller buffers to telecommunications network junction point computers having larger buffers. The method preferably includes the further step of: selecting a call provider offering the lowest rates during the forward and rearward chaining. The method preferably includes the still additional steps of: performing at every binary time interval a network diagnostic of the entire simulation network, and thus of the telecommunications network to detect system failure; and plotting new call routing vectors upon detection of a system failure which avoid the system failure, and can modify central office switches and change the route. Furthermore, it can also programmably modify route tables, trunk tables, add and remove users, and block, listen to or monitor and test calls for security reasons. The hive simulation computers send test calls to each other to make sure the system is fully integrated. Placement of these test calls is triggered by detected routing problems, and further user calls are then blocked during testing. Thus we are optimizing the system for performance. In addition, each local data warehouse has the conditions and route patterns of the entire network. And with this information every time a call is initiated, the local hives know the exact routes of each specific call that goes through the network.